Foundation device for load supporting columns



Aug. 10 3948. R. J. NEUTRA ,9

FOUNDATION DEVICE FOR LOAD SUPPORTING COLUMNS Filed Aug. 4, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR. v

R. J. NEUTRA FOUNDATIQN DEVICE FOR LOAD SUPPORTING COLUMNS Filed Aug. 4, 1945 Aug 1, 184.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENiOR.

Pficfifliiwlm,

Aug 1% 3%48. J UT 2,445,$49

FOUNDATION DEVICE FOR LOAD SUPPORTING COLUMNS Filed Aug. 4, 1945 O 4 Sheets-Sheet s IN V EN TOR.

await/(12km.

1948.. R. J. NEUTRA 2,446,949

FOUNDATIONDEVICE FOR LOAD SUPPORTING COLUMNS 'Filed Aug. 4, 1945 4'Sheets-Sheet4 Patented Aug. 10, 1948 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE EOUNDATIONDEVICE- FOR LOAD surro t'rmo ooLU Ns Richard J. Neutra, Los Angelcs, Calif. i e enereeii-i fi r e- 60 38 8 Claims, (Cl.-189 -42) This invention relates to foundations for loadsupporting columns as used in" the'rectionbf houses, walls and other building" structures for supporting ceilings, roofs or other superimposed loads. t.

It has been common practice heretofore to construct such foundations of a'block of 'b'ricksto'ne or concrete emplaced within an excavation in the ground and embedding or anchoring the lowe r portion of the column in or to the block','the block serving to transmit the vertical load to the ground and acting in the manner of a cantilever under the stress of lateral forces V v V Such a foundation is not entirely satisfactory inasmuch as its resistance to'forces indifferent directions can be computed only approximately before erection so that as a matter of safety the foundation is often considerably over-dimensioned. Another disadvantage of suchlafou'ndation is that it is unsuitable for use for .the erection of buildings composed ofso-called prefabricated elements which must be putjtogether on the building site in a speedy endemc 'nt manner. Up to this time proposals for the'lerec} tion of prefabricated or shop-fabricated buildings have called for foundations for the Supports nd columns the same as are required for ordinary buildings. This means that all of the elements of the building, such as the wall, ceiling, roof'a'nd other elements, are subject to prefabrication leaving only the execution of the usual foundation work and the anchoring of the superstructure thereto to be done later. This foundation were takes considerable time so that the erectionof the building is unduly prolonged.

One object of the present invention is to provide a foundation for load supporting columns for buildings of any kind, which foundation consists only of comparatively light structural elements arranged in such a rational interconnection and well controllable interplay that an exactadvance computation of the dimensions of the members of the foundation is feasible in .view of stresses in all directions, provided their magnitudelcan be foreseen. v Q J Another object of the invention is to provide .a foundation device for load supportingcolum n's for buildings of any kind, which foundation in p'rinciple avoids the use of a heavy inert block built of stone, brick or concrete, in order to make prefabrication, and transport from shop to distant premises, of all of the elements of the foundation and of the foundation asa whole reasonable, feasible, economical and practical.

Another object of the invention is to provide jamming members.

afoundation device for load supporting columns for buildings of any kind in which the jamming devices for the fixation of the column into the foundation structure are shaped and arranged in such a manner that their jamming effect is increased by every push or shock'which tendsto move the column between these jamming means, so thatthe fixation of the column remains essentially unweakened .and unchanged.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foundation devic for loadsupportingcolumns for buildings of all kinds, which foundation itself can be supported by the surface of the ground so that any and all exoavationican be spared, provided the basemember of the foundation device is large and strong enough to secure the required stability and load transmission .to the soil. But even if it should prove desirablefor special reasons to arrange .the' foundation on a lower level which calls for a certain excavation, this excavation does not need any exactness and no larger dimensions of its depth and widththan are necessary to give space for the members of the foundation extending below the surface of the ground; In any case, to produce an excavation of this character will takelesstime and isconsiderably less expensive than anexcavation for th usual foundation.

A foundation device, according to the present invention, consists principally of a base-member, executed as a mum the shape of .a rigid'plate, with orwithout interruptions (holes), or in the shape of a ring"; further, of a shoe for supporting the lower end of .the column; one .or a plurality of structures surrounding the column, to be fixed and borne byvthe said'baseemember, and on their part supporting directly or indirectly 'the bearings of jamming-members, arranged around the columns and pressed against it on a level high enough above. the .said shoe. The said jamming memberstare shapedand arranged in such a way that the jamming effect is automatically increased whenever any force tends to move the column o utof its normal position between these 9 A simple means to accomplishithis action is to construct the jammin members'inthe shape of cams;

"It th ompa n drawin Figure i'is a vertical,cross-sectional view of a foundation device embodying a preferred form of the invention;

'Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the foundation device inpartfsectional, taken on'the line 2 2"of Fig. 1;

' Figure 3 is a detail view of a shoe forming part of the foundation device;

manner in which the foundation devices (specifi; ,v cally the foundation devices of Figs. 4, 5, and 6, 7) are adapted to support the vertical columns;

thereof; 1. Figure 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the house of Fig. 8, viewed sidewise.

In the mode of execution of the foundation device as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, there is provided a base plate I placed upon the surface:

of the ground. It is sufiiciently large and rigid to secure stability of the foundation. In order to render this plate rigid, it is provided with ribs; i. e., in an arrangement as shown consisting of a circular rib 2 and radial ribs 3 proceeding from the circular rib 2 toward the peripheryof the base plate I. In order to prevent any lateral movement of the base plate I, it is provided with a rim 4 projecting downward at the periphery, and shaped like a knife in order to facilitate the driving of this rim into the soil when the base plate I is placed upon the ground.

In the center of the bass plate I a shoe 5 is arranged, provided with a flange 6 containing four oblong holes I (see the plan view of the shoe represented by Figure 3) This shoe 5 is fastened to the base plate I by means of four screws 8 projecting through the oblong holes I upward, the oblong shape of these holes permitting adjustments of the shoe on the base plate, within certain limits, in every direction.

On a certain level above the base plate I a ring-shaped table 9 is arranged upon aplurality of supports IEI which are carried by and fastened to the base plate I. Each of these supports It consists of a plurality of braces arranged in such a way that a perfect stability of the position of the ring-shaped table 9 is secured. On four points of the top of the ring-shaped table 9, bearings I I are placed, each of which carries a jamming cam I2. The bearings I I with the cams I2 are arranged in such a manner that two pairs of cams I2 are formed. The individual cams of each pair are diametrically opposed to each other and are working as jamming members when pressed against the column .I3 which in its vertical position betweenthese cams I2 is supported at its lower end by the shoe 5. Each bearing l I is provided with a downward projecting portion I4 protruding from the base plate I5 of the bearing into a slot-shaped and radially arranged space It of the table 9 in which the projection I 4 is guided. In the space I 5 a screw I 'I is supported in a radial position relative to the ring-shaped table 9, this screw having on its inner end a head I8 engaging the inner wall of the ring-shaped table 9, and on its outer end a hexagonal portion IS with which, by means of a wrench, thescrew I! can be turned. The projecting portion I4 of the bearing II contains a hole provided with female thread fitting to the thread of the screw II which penetrates this hole so that the bearing is moved radially in the one or the other direction if the screw I1 is turned in the one or the other direction. In this way the bearings II can be moved toward the column I3 and the cams I2 pressed vigorously against the column.

Every cam I2 is supported by the two parts of its bearing I I by means of the pivots 20, 2|. The pivot 2| is longer than the pivot 28, so as to project from the bearing in which it lies and contains on its end portion a screw thread 22. A washer 23 and a nut 24 are put onto the said screw-shaped end 22 of the pivot 2I and by screwing tightly the nut 24 on the screw 22, the washer 23 is pressed against the bearing II and acts like a brake on the cam I2 so that the cam can be fixed by the frictionproduced by the washer in any position. j The caml can again be rocked around its pivot whenthefrictipn is released by slightly unscrewing the-nut 24.

f A column I3 to be fixed by means of a foundation as described is brought into a vertical position 'with'its lower portion between the four cams I2, which in a preliminary phase are withdrawn from thecenter far enough to permit the column moving downward without being jammed. In this manner the bottom end of the column can be inserted into the shoe 5. The cams I2 are fixed at their bearings II by means of the braking washers 23, so that their smallest radius is in a position perpendicular to the side surface of the column I3; the position of the smallest radius of the cams can be marked by a line 25. The column, supported at its bottom by the shoe 5, is to be held in an approximately vertical position and the four cams I2 are moved by means of the screws Il toward the column I3 and pressed to it. At first this pressure is exerted only to such a degree that the column is held in a supposed vertical position by means of the cams I2 and the shoe 5. I This accomplished, it has to be checked whether the column is exactly vertical or only approximately so; in this latter case, the exactly vertical position can be achieved by loosening all of the nuts of the screws 8 by which the shoe 5 is fixed to the base member I, so that the shoe 5, due to the oblong shape of the screw holes 1, can be moved upon the base member I in every horizontal direction within certain limits. By this means, the shoe can be put into the position in which the column held by the four cams at a level above the shoe 5, is exactly vertical. Then the nuts of the screws 8 are tightened and the four cams pressed against the column as tightly as possible. Should, in this stage of fixing the column, the one or the other of the cams not touch the column at the point of its shortest radius (which can be seen by observing the marker 25), the particular cam is to be withdrawn just sufiiciently to allow the proper adjustment. For this purpose, the nuts 24 of the cams in need of adjustment are loosened somewhat so that the braking action of the washers 23 is diminished and turning of the cams becomes possible. After the cams are adjusted, the nuts 24 are again tightened in order to hold the cams in the adjusted position until their pressure toward the column can again be greatly increased. This done, all of the nuts 24 are once more loosened so that the cams can turn around their pivots 20, 2| in case they are caused to roll upon the surface of the column.

If, for example, a vertical shock upward occurs in consequence of an earthquake, the column may tend to move upward in between the four cams. This would have the consequence that the cams begin to roll upon the surface of the column while turning upward around their pivots 20, 2 I. However, immediately when such a rolling movement of the cams is initiated, a new point of the peripheral arc of the cam comes in touch with the column. This new point of contact is further from the pivotal center than the length of the shortest radius which in the original position of the cam and before the beginning of this rolling movement was perpendicular to the column. The consequence thereof is that the jamming power of the cam increases at once and at the very beginning of such a rolling movement and thus the upward tendency or relative movement between the base and is stopped before it really can proceed to any substantial extent. A downward movement of the column is hardly possible at all; but even the slightest downward tendency would be prevented in the same manner by the working of the cams as above described for an upward movement of the column. Also every other cause for loosening or forshifting or displacing of the column by lateral forces (wind pressure, etc.) is rendered harmless, because the said jamming action of the cams which automatically increases with every incipientmove of the column between the cams, inhibits every movement from the very beginning.

The Figures 4 and 5 show in elevation and plan view another mode of execution of a foundation device according to the invention. This mode of execution difiers from the first one in essence by the fact that the cams forming the jamming device are carried by levers connected at their outside ends to supports fixed to the base member and are affected by the weight and the load of the column in such a manner that they are held in closest touch with the surface of the column.

Upon the base member 2% are fixed four supports 21, each of which consists of a horizontal plate 28 and props 23 and 3d arranged in such a manner that the shape and the position of these supports are stably resistant to all strains which possibly may occur. On the plate 28 of each of the supports 2? a bearing 3! consisting of two parts is fixed, in which the two pivots 32, 33 of an eccentric 3 are carried. The ring 3-5 surrounding the eccentric 34 is fixed to the outer end of a lever 35 arranged in a radial plane, the inner end of which lever is provided with the bearings for the two pivots 31, 38 of a cam 39. Closely adjacent to the bearings for the cam 39, the lever 35 contains a hole 40 extending from the top to the bottom, this hole being penetrated by a bar ll, the lower end of which is connected to eyes of a shoe :33. This said shoe serves to support the bottom of the column 44 to be fixed and to be held in an upright position by being jammed between a plurality of cams 39, situated on a level above the shoe 43. The upper end portion of the bar 35 is provided with a screw thread and, as mentioned, penetrates the hole 48 of the lever 36. The upper opening of the hole ill is surrounded by a concavity in the shape of a spherical segment in which is fitted a Washer 55. The bottom of this washer is shaped as a convex spherical segment fitting into the concavity of the lever 36. A nut 46 gives the upper end portion of the bar il a support, the bottom of the nut 66 lying on the washer 45 which is capable of adjustment by movement within the concavity; the hole fill is wide enough to allow, within certain limits, different positions of the bar 4!.

The Weight of the column 44 and the load supported by the column are transmitted to the shoe 43 and press it downward. Thus the bars M which areconnected to the shoe .43 are pulled downward and act upon the levers 36 in such amanner that these levers are caused .to turn with their inner ends downward around the eccentrics .34 which serve as pivots for the levers 36, the rings .35 surrounding the eccentrics 34 forming a part of thelevers. The consequence is that the cams 39 are pressed against the column and exert a jamming effect on it. The greater the load supported by the column, the greater also the pressure of the cams 39 onto the column and hence :the jamming action holding the column fixed in its vertical position.

Obviously for this action, it is necessary that the final position of the levers .35 be, as shown in Figure 4, sloping up from the eccentrics 34, as a pivot for the said levers, to'the inner ending of the levers which carry the jamming cams 39. In order to make required adjustments of the position of the levers possible, the eccentrics 3d of each lever 36 can be turned around its pivots 32, 33 which lie in the bearing 3!. Thereby, the center of the eccentric ring 35 is displaced in the one or the other direction, which means that the distance between the center of the turning motion of the lever :36 and the column is increased'or decreased, according to the displacement of the eccentric :35. In this manner, it is possible to obtain the most favorable angle of levers .35 in relation to the horizontal plane.

The turning of .the eccentric .35 is effected by means of a screw ll, carried by secondary bearings 380f the'bearing 3 l, anda toothed wheel 49 fixed to one of the pivots .33 of theeccentric 35. This .toothed wheel fits to the screw .47 which can be turned by means of a hand wheel 56., and which, in turn, drives the toothed wheel 39. By this means, the eccentric can be moved in the one or .the otherdirection according-to the direction in which the .screw 11 is turned. The lever 35 to which the ring .35 of the eccentric 3% is fixed, can be turned together with said ring '35 around the eccentric 34, the revolving center 'beingthe center of the eccentrically pivoted circular disc. 34. If this disc (eccentric) 34 revolves around its pivots.32,33, the center of the circular disc 3:1;is displaced and hence the distance be tween this. center of the disc 36 and the surface of the column 44 is changed. It is decreased or increased according to the direction in which the eccentric disc 34 with its ring 35 moves outward or inward as caused by the turning of the hand wheel .50 in the one or the other direction. By this shift of the eccentric and its ring, the inclination ofthe leverSS and thepressure exerted by the jamming cams 39 against the column 44 canbe varied. In order to make it possible to accommodate the foundation to columns of different sizes ofcross-section, in case the adjustment by turning the eccentric disc 34 around itspivots 3.2, 33, does not suffice, the bearing 3! which carries the eccentric-Moan, as a whole, be shifted upon the supporting plate 28 in the direction toward or from the column 49. For this purpose the bearing is fixed to the plate .28 by means of one or more screws 5|, which, in the mode of execution as shown in Figures 4 and 5, are fastened to the base plate of the bearing 3i, projecting downward, and penetrate a slotshapedhole of the supporting plate .28, the long dimension of which hole extends radially relatively to the foundation device. In this manner the bearingliil can be fixed on the plate '28 by tightening? the nut=52 of the screw 5! in different positions to which it has been brought along the slot-shaped hole,after loosening the nut-.52. In order to diemburden the screw 5| of the radial force exerted on it by the reaction of the pressure of the cam 39 against the column 44, and by additional lateral forces due to wind pressure, etc., the surface of the supporting plate 28 is provided with ribs 53, in cross section like a saw blade, these ribs being arranged transversely to the radial direction in which the bearing 3| can be moved. The bottom surface of the base plate of the bearing 3| is also provided with such ribs which fit into the spaces between the ribs 53 of the supporting plate 28. The cooperation of these two interlocking rows of ribs after the nut 52 f the screw is tightened, protects the screw 5| against the strains of shear caused by the reaction of the pressure of the cam 39 against the column 44. Thus the rough adjustment of the turning center of the lever 36 can be done by moving the bearing 3| toward or away from the column, and the fine adjustment by turning the eccentric 34 by means of the hand wheel 56, the screw 4'! and the toothed wheel 49 in the one or the other direction.

Also, in the indicated mode of execution, the cam 39 can be locked in different positions to the lever 36 by means for example of a braking device. One of the pivots of the cam 39, here the pivot 38, is extended outward, the extension of this pivot being provided with a screw thread. On this extension is placed a washer 54 (see Figure 5) and a nut 55 by which the washer 54 can be pressed against that portion of the lever 36 which forms a bearing for the pivots of the cam 39. Thus the cam 39 can be locked in any position so that it is prevented from turning around its pivots.

For fixing a column 44 in the foundation described, the cams of the four levers 36 which are used if the column has a square cross section, are locked in their levers 36 approximately in a position in which they are supposed to finally remain while being pressed against the column. After that all of the levers 36 are turned upward around their eccentrics 34, far enough to allow for the column 44 to be placed in between the cams 39, while the bottom of the column enters the shoe 43 and finds its support in it. Now the levers 36 are set free so that they can be drawn downward by the bars 4| under the weight of the column 44 which transmit the load to the shoe 43 and thus to the bars 4|.

In consequence, the cams 39 are pressed against the column44. Should it turn out that the cams 39 are in contact with the column at too high or too low a level, they can be brought to a more favorable level by turning the eccentrics 34 in the one or the other direction. Should this mode of adjusting the turning center of levers 36 not sufiice, the bearings 3| will have to be shifted on their supporting plates 23 as above described. Finally, the levers 36 are in order to adjust earns 39 in such a manner that they contact the column 44 with their smallest radius which is indicated by a mark on the cam 39. If now the levers 36 are set free, the column is correctly fixed by the cams 39. However, in any case, it will be necessary to check whether or not the column stands in an exactly vertical position. Whenever this is not the case, the vertical position can be accomplished either through adjusting the shoe 43 by screwing one or more of the bars 4| upward or downward, which is done by turning the nuts 46 or by adjusting one or more of the eccentrics 34. As these adjustments are necessary only to a very small degree, there is no danger that the different members of the construction will come too much out of symmetry. With sufficient experience, even exact symmetry can be obtained without difficulty.

As mentioned, the column 44 is held in position by the shoe 43 and between the cams 39 due to the weight of the column, the load acting on the shoe 43, which in turn acts on the levers 36 by means of the bars 4|, thus pressing the cams 39 against the column 44. The larger the weight and the load of the column, the greater the pressure of the cams against the columns and the larger the jamming effect and the firmness of the fixation. Should there occur any tendency to move the column downwardly or upwardly between the cams 39 by wind pressure, earthquakes, etc., each of such a movement would tend to turn the cams 39 around their pivots 31, 38, and this again would tend to make the cams 39 contact the column along a longer radius than at the beginning of the movement.

The mode of execution shown in Figure 6 in elevation and in Figure 7 in a plan view, differs from the mode of execution according to Figures 4 and 5 only insofar as the turning centers of the levers which carry the jamming cams are arranged in bearings, fastened directly upon the base-member of the foundation device so that supports 2? as used in the preceding mode of execution, are eliminated. However, in this case, it is necessary to excavate the ground where the lower portion of the column projects downward. The column is supported by a shoe arranged within this excavation. The base member of the foundation is ring-shaped in order to allow for the parts projecting downward into the excavation.

Levers 56 of the mode of execution shown in Figures 6 and 7 correspond with levers 36 of the mode of v execution, according to Figures 4 and 5; bars 5'! correspond to bars 4|; the shoe 58 corresponds to the shoe 43; the eccentrics 59 correspond to eccentrics 34; the eccentric-rings 66 fixed to the levers 56 correspond to the eccentric-rings 35; the pivots 6|, 62 of the eccentrics 59 correspond to the pivots 32, 33 of the eccentrics 34; the bearings 63 correspond to the bearings 3|; the supporting plates 64 with their ribs 65 correspond to the supporting plates 28 with their ribs 53; the earns 66 correspond to the cams 39; and so do the means for fixing the position of the cams 66 in relation to their levers 56,'the means for adjusting the position of the cams 59 on their bearings 63, the means for adjusting the bars 51, the means for fastening the bearings 63 on the supporting plates 64 to the corresponding means of the mode of execution, according to Figures 4 and 5.

The difference between this form of foundation device and. that of Figs. 4 and 5 consists only in the fact that the supporting plates for the bearings 63 are situated immediately upon the base-member 6'! which itself lies directly upon the surface of the ground and is ring-shaped so as to give space for an excavation 68 in the ground in which the shoe 51 is situated, supporting there the bottom of the column 69. Thus the result of the structural differences between the two modes of execution of the foundation device is that the vertical distance between the surface of the ground and the upper limits of the members of the foundation is larger for the mode of execution according to Figures 4 and 5 than for the one according to Figures 6 and 7,

The choice of which of these two constructions should be used depends, therefore, upon the question at which level above grade the lowest floor of the building should be situated.

Figures 8 and 9 are vertical cross-sections of a one-story frame house, viewed lengthwise and sidewise respectively, and showing by way of example how the columns thereof are adapted to be supplied by the foundation devices hereinbefore described (which devices do not require blocks, bricks or concrete and no, or only limited, excavation) on unlevel terrain.

The foundation devices for the columns 44 and 69 of the house are drawn in a diagrammatical way, as an example on the right side, in accordance with the mode of execution shown in Figures 4 and 5 (without an excavation) and on the left side according to Figures 6 and '7 (with an excavation). Therefore the same parts of the foundation are designated in Figures 8 and 9 with the same numbers as in Figures 4: and 5, and in Figures 6 and 7, respectively.

For the rest, Figures 8 and 9 show that the colums 44 and 69 which are in this example of a building, arranged in two parallel rows give support to girders of the floor H and to the girders of the roof 12. They have, therefore, to bear the weight of the entire building and moreover they have to resist wind pressure and occasional stresses, especially earthquakes. Apart from all these loads and stresses the columns can serve to give support to the outside walls and to partition walls, as is usual, in the case of footings or foundations.

The foundations can be designed and dimensioned in such a manner that the columns 44 and 69 stand fixed and stable and can take over all of the stresses and loads as mentioned.

The modes of constructing the foundation devices hereinbefore described and illustrated are to be considered only as exemplary of the invention, and manifestly the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing fgim the spirit of my invention as defined by the following claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A foundation device for load supporting columns for houses and buildings of any kind, comprising a base member intended to be placed upon the surface of the ground, a shoe for the bottom of a column intended to be fixed by the foundation in an upright position, a plurality of cams arranged around the space where a column is to be placed, so that they suitably fit to jam the column from different sides between one another at a level above the said shoe, eccentrically positioned pivots for the said jamming cams, a lever for each of the jamming cams, these levers being arranged around the space for the column in radial planes, the outer end of each of these levers being pivotally connected with the said base member, and the inner end of each of these levers containing the bearings for the pivots of the corresponding jamming cam, and bars, by means of which these levers are connected to the said shoe and which transmit the weight and load of the column, to be supported by the shoe, to the said levers, turning these levers downward in order to press the jamming cam toward the column when the column is positioned in said shoe.

2. A foundation device for load supporting columns as set forth in claim 1, comprising for each of the jamming cams a device for fixing it in varied angular positions in relation to the said lever which contains the bearings for the pivots of the jamming cam in order to fix the cam, before bringing it in contact with the column to be jammed, into a position in which it will contact the column at a point of its circumference pertaining to the smallest radius, said device after the column has been jammed, bein capable of operation to set the cam free.

3. A foundation device for load supporting columns as set forth in claim 1, in which each of the eccentrically positioned pivots of the jamming cams project outward from its bearing on the said lever and is provided with a screw thread, a washer-like braking disc sitting on the said thread projection of the said pivot, and a nut sitting likewise on the said projection of the pivot and intended to fix the jamming cam in an angular position in relation to its bearings in which it contacts the column to be fixed at a point of its circumference pertaining to its smallest radius, whereupon the nut is to be loosened after the column has been fixed.

4. A foundation device for load supporting columns as set forth in claim 1, the said bars connecting the shoe with the levers carrying the jamming cams being adjustable in their effective lengths.

5. A foundation device for a load-supporting column for a building structure comprising a base member adapted to rest upon the ground, a shoe supported by the base member and providing a bearing surface for the lower end of'a column, and a pair of jamming cams pivotally mounted on support members a substantial distance above the shoe and positioned in opposed relation for engagin the sides of said column.

6. A foundation device as set forth in claim 5 in which said jamming cams are adjustably mounted for bodily displacement toward and from each other.

7. A foundation device for a load-supporting column comprising a base member adapted to rest upon the ground, a pair of levers each pivotally mounted at one end on said base member, jamming cams mounted upon the other ends of said levers and positioned in opposed relation engaging the sides of said column, a shoe mounted at an elevation substantially below the cams for providing a bearing surface for the lower end of the column, and bars extending between said shoe and levers for transferring the load from the shoe to said levers.

8. A foundation device as set forth in claim 7 including means for adjusting the pivotal mountings for said levers toward and from each other.

RICHARD J. NEUTRA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 981,610 Bolsterli Jan. 1'7, 1911 1,217,655 Stanton et al Feb. 27, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 814,210 France Mar. 15, 1937 

